A. Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the field of suspension of non-gaseous solid materials, these materials being in colloidal size and obtained by grinding very finely divided substantially pure magnesium metal in pure substantially easily burning low volatility petroleum, and in particular kerosene and also is in the field of suspensions of this colloidal dispersion of substantially pure magnesium (500 to 1 millimicrons) in diesel fuel in critical proportions for the purpose of aiding combustion, there being no non-oxyhydrocarbons or non-hydrocarbon additives required for the addition and suspension and thereby controlling emissions, while improving fuel economy and efficiency.
B. Description of the Prior Art
1. Motor Fuel Economy and Emission Controls
The problem of fuel economy and emission controls has come to the forefront since the Arab Oil Embargo in 1973-74 and has gripped the attention of the auto manufacturer, the supplier of the add-on catalytic converter and the domestic oil industry in the United States. Smaller cars with new engines such as the Japanese Honda Civic CVCC (compound vortex combustion chamber) have shown under E.P.A. tests 39 miles per gallon in simulated urban driving (see article by Fred Gregory in the New York Times, Feb. 2, 1975, page A17 of Business Section) and have passed the emission standards.
However, the bulk of the cars on the road in the United States are older and heavier cars with less revolutionary engines and interim efforts are being directed to add-on pollution control devices, such as the platinum catalyst charged converter which cuts emissions to meet standards in the states and of the Federal Government. The results these past 10 years have been encouraging as stated by Gladwin Hill in the New York Times, Business Section, page A15, who reports as follows:
In 1966, when cars began using exhaust controls, the Los Angeles County Air Pollution Control District reported that the area's 3,770,000 cars were spewing out 10,485 tons of carbon monoxide each day, 1,805 tons of hydrocarbons (unburned gasoline) and 545 tons of oxides of nitrogen.
Today, with 4,470,000 cars in the area, the total is down to 5,040 tons of carbon monoxide, a 50 per cent decrease; 625 tons of hydrocarbons, a two-thirds decline, and 530 tons of oxides of nitrogen. Nitrogen oxide controls are relatively new and difficult to remove.
In 1966, there were 271 days of excessive oxidants (compounds formed from car fumes by sunlight, and often irritating to the eye); 89 days of excessive nitrogen oxides, which accounts for the brownish tint to smog, and 365 days of excessive carbon monoxide.
In 1973, there were 185 days of excessive oxidants, 59 days of excessive nitrogen oxide, and 116 days of excessive carbon monoxide.
For the fist 10 months of 1974, the totals were 202 days of excessive oxidants, 44 days of excessive nitrogen oxides and 71 days of excessive carbon monoxide.
2. Prior Patent Art
a. Methods of Preparing Colloidal Metal Suspensions
Various methods are known for making colloidal metals, for example, Vaughn, U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,617, describes a method for making colloidal metal by reaction in liquid ammonia, and the literature makes references to electrolytic processes for the manufacture of colloidal magnesium.
These prior methods are expensive to carry out, because of the high cost for equipment and the need for highly skilled personnel, not to mention the high energy requirement for electrolytic processing. A further important disadvantage is the formation of impurities, oxides or nitrides, which occurs because of the high reactivity of magnesium.
In contrast to the above methods for preparing colloidal magnesium, the present process carries out the grinding by starting from 400 mesh pure (99.8+%) magnesium powder, which is dispersed in dry kerosene. The dispersing liquid is substantially free from water, and thus eliminates one of the most important reactions of metallic magnesium, which is that with water. Under ordinary atmospheric conditions or in pure water or saltfree water of high pH, however, the reaction is self-stopping, because of the formation of an insoluble hydrozide film: EQU Mg + 2 H.sub.2 O .fwdarw. Mg(OH).sub.2 + H.sub.2
b. Finely Divided Magnesium in Fuels
The patent to Toulmin, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,122,429, discloses slurry of magnesium finely divided coal and ozone in jet fuel in weight ratio of 25/75 solid fuel to liquid fuel.
The patent to Toulmin, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,147,091, discloses a composite fuel of 35% by weight of powdered coal and magnesium and remainder liquid hydrocarbon.
The patent to Bradley et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,642,345, discloses finely divided (100 .mu.) sodium metal dispersed in diesel fuel.